Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s season of unrelenting misery and inexplicable failure continued at Auto Club Speedway, where the 88 team started 37th and ran all the way up in the top 10, only to see all of its hard work wiped out in a crash of someone else’s making. On lap 246, Earnhardt was bumped from behind by Elliott Sadler, triggering an eight-car wreck that took the 88 out of the running for the top 10. He finished 25th. Said Earnhardt, "We are doing whatever we can to stay positive. We had a top 10 car today and it’s unfortunate that a lot of good cars got tore up there at the end."

Let’s focus on the positive. The sport’s most popular driver might be on a 51-race losing streak, but at least he doesn’t suck anymore. One of these weeks – maybe at Talladega – he is going to contend for a win again. Can’t happen soon enough.